Word to developers, please implement an Off buton

As I recently discovered in an app I just bought (Photo X Pro) you can easily put an Off button on your app's home screen to turn the app off directly instead of swiping up and pressing X. That is great for multitasking but in some cases you want to turn the app off directly and this would save us a few steps.

The only problem I have with a single "button" control is the high probability of accidentally killing the app altogether - especially when there is work in progress that might be lost. A two swipe-up procedure like we have in the PlayBook or a swipe up and then tap on the X seems to be a good way to prevent unintended closure of an app.

The only problem I have with a single "button" control is the high probability of accidentally killing the app altogether - especially when there is work in progress that might be lost. A two swipe-up procedure like we have in the PlayBook or a swipe up and then tap on the X seems to be a good way to prevent unintended closure of an app.

The only problem I have with a single "button" control is the high probability of accidentally killing the app altogether - especially when there is work in progress that might be lost. A two swipe-up procedure like we have in the PlayBook or a swipe up and then tap on the X seems to be a good way to prevent unintended closure of an app.

Yeah that's one feature the playbook has that I'm astounded was left out of BlackBerry 10.

Closing an app from within itself runs contrary to the design guidelines laid out for BB10. It's a possible but discoureaged practice. In fact you shouldn't need to close your apps. By default apps do not run in the background (while in an active frame), unless they specifically request to do so. Hence if you have an app that doesn't do anything in the background, it should be enough to swipe up and and leave it be and switch to your next app. Once there is no more memory or app limit is reached it will be automatically closed. On the other hand if you have an app that does stuff while in the background, you would want to leave it open after swiping up.

Obviously these are relative things and some people will like them differently than others. However it's usually more important to have consistency so people automatically know how to use the next app knowing the previous one, than tackling all corner cases.

Closing an app from within itself runs contrary to the design guidelines laid out for BB10. It's a possible but discoureaged practice. In fact you shouldn't need to close your apps. By default apps do not run in the background (while in an active frame), unless they specifically request to do so. Hence if you have an app that doesn't do anything in the background, it should be enough to swipe up and and leave it be and switch to your next app. Once there is no more memory or app limit is reached it will be automatically closed. On the other hand if you have an app that does stuff while in the background, you would want to leave it open after swiping up.

Obviously these are relative things and some people will like them differently than others. However it's usually more important to have consistency so people automatically know how to use the next app knowing the previous one, than tackling all corner cases.

I agree. If you want to develop a really good app, you have to follow design guidelines. The quirks and weird things (even if they are extras) are not good. Consistency is the king at development world.

Closing an app from within itself runs contrary to the design guidelines laid out for BB10. It's a possible but discoureaged practice. In fact you shouldn't need to close your apps. By default apps do not run in the background (while in an active frame), unless they specifically request to do so. Hence if you have an app that doesn't do anything in the background, it should be enough to swipe up and and leave it be and switch to your next app. Once there is no more memory or app limit is reached it will be automatically closed. On the other hand if you have an app that does stuff while in the background, you would want to leave it open after swiping up.

Obviously these are relative things and some people will like them differently than others. However it's usually more important to have consistency so people automatically know how to use the next app knowing the previous one, than tackling all corner cases.

Completely disagree. When I'm done with an app - I want it closed.

Period.

Except for apps that need to stay running for notification purposes, but those should be the exception.

I see no consistancy issues with the idea of a "close" button. We aren't stupid. That's more of the way Apple thinks.

As I recently discovered in an app I just bought (Photo X Pro) you can easily put an Off button on your app's home screen to turn the app off directly instead of swiping up and pressing X. That is great for multitasking but in some cases you want to turn the app off directly and this would save us a few steps.

What do you say? Can you do it?

Posted using CrackBerry App on BB10

Can developers do it? Of course.
Should developers do it? Of course not.

"Summarizing the philosophy behind BB10, Bhardwaj said, "It's about moving between applications, not about home buttons, opening and closingThis is real time true multitasking. In and out does not exist on BlackBerry 10."
"We're not moving in and out of applications," Heins said.

BB10 is designed to manage apps without the need for users to worry about an overt "kill app" action. Moving to a new app is all that is necessary if the developer has done his job correctly.

Support developers who write well behaved apps. The platform will be much stronger because of this.

Can developers do it? Of course.
Should developers do it? Of course not.

"Summarizing the philosophy behind BB10, Bhardwaj said, "It's about moving between applications, not about home buttons, opening and closingThis is real time true multitasking. In and out does not exist on BlackBerry 10."
"We're not moving in and out of applications," Heins said.

BB10 is designed to manage apps without the need for users to worry about an overt "kill app" action. Moving to a new app is all that is necessary if the developer has done his job correctly.

Support developers who write well behaved apps. The platform will be much stronger because of this.

I completely disagree, we are blackberry people remember? And BB10 was built for BlackBerry People, I need and want to do things fast and have full control. If I want an app to stay open in the background I want it fully active and if I want to close it I want it fully closed, I certainly don't want it to linger in the background.

Word to developers, please implement an Off buton

Originally Posted by belfastdispatcher

I completely disagree, we are blackberry people remember? And BB10 was built for BlackBerry People, I need and want to do things fast and have full control. If I want an app to stay open in the background I want it fully active and if I want to close it I want it fully closed, I certainly don't want it to linger in the background.

Posted via CB10

The problem is that pandering to BlackBerry people and only BlackBerry people is what got them in the situation they are in now.

Can developers do it? Of course.
Should developers do it? Of course not.

"Summarizing the philosophy behind BB10, Bhardwaj said, "It's about moving between applications, not about home buttons, opening and closing…This is real time true multitasking. In and out does not exist on BlackBerry 10."
"We're not moving in and out of applications," Heins said.

BB10 is designed to manage apps without the need for users to worry about an overt "kill app" action. Moving to a new app is all that is necessary if the developer has done his job correctly.

Support developers who write well behaved apps. The platform will be much stronger because of this.

Congratulations, red stripe.
I can't say it better.

One more thing, joeldf ...

That's more of the way Apple thinks.

Is not Apple's way of to do things... is the software development's way of to do things. We, developers, are not stupid too.
And remember please ... Apple did not invent anything.

I'm not saying we should have one and not the other, both is better, swipe for leaving the app in the background, off button for when you know you want to kill the app. Easy no?

Posted via CB10

I understand what you're saying and i agree with your reasons.
It's just that Blackberry has kind of built BB10 to be completely gesture based. It may be taken as backtracking if they start implementing buttons. you know what i mean, there certain sites out there that would twist anything blackberry does into a bad thing.

But just to state i do think its a good idea, to have a kill option as well as a minimise option

I understand what you're saying and i agree with your reasons.
It's just that Blackberry has kind of built BB10 to be completely gesture based. It may be taken as backtracking if they start implementing buttons. you know what i mean, there certain sites out there that would twist anything blackberry does into a bad thing.

But just to state i do think its a good idea, to have a kill option as well as a minimise option

There is back buttons sometimes. Its not always slide to go back. i.e its not ALL gestures. Same concept could be put into effect for closing apps from within it.

CrackBerry is in no way Affiliated with BlackBerry. We take pride in our unbiased content, however do occasionally receive free products from vendors that we review or discuss. For more info click here.